NEW: An additional group of C.I.A. officers have reported incidents similar to the mysterious Havana Syndrome attacks in Cuba including a reported attack in Moscow on @Mpolymer in December 2017. New report by @AnaSwanson, @ewong & me. nytimes.com/2020/10/19/us/…
The new group of C.I.A. officers also include senior officials travelling overseas from Washington for meetings with partner intelligence services to coordinate action to counter Russian operations.
Some State Department and C.I.A. officials believe the other incidents add to the evidence of Russian culpability in the attacks. But leadership is not convinced by the evidence that Moscow is responsible or that attacks even happened.
C.I.A. Director Gina Haspel has told colleagues Russia has the intent to harm her operatives, but she is not convinced by the evidence so far.
Since the incident, @Mpolymer has suffered constant headaches that forced his retirement from the agency. He declined to discuss the attack, but is pushing the C.I.A. to allow its officers to go to Walter Reed for treatment.
“This is like the N.F.L. 15 years ago on traumatic brain injury. That is where the State Department and C.I.A. are today,” said @Mpolymer
“This is a combat injury,” @Mpolymer said. “If you are Navy SEAL and you get blown up, you go right to Walter Reed. But the civilian agencies are not set to deal with stuff like this.”
The C.I.A. declined to comment, but said the agency’s “first priority, has been and continues to be, the welfare of all of our officers.”
Russian officials for their part say that there is no evidence the attacks occurred and it is more likely an example of “mass hysteria.”
The story, the product of a long investigation by @AnaSwanson & @ewong also has new details of the Cuba and China incidents.
American diplomats and spies who served in Cuba, China and Russia say the Trump administration has concealed the true extent of the mysterious illness known as “Havana syndrome,” which could actually be attacks on American citizens by a foreign power.
Read more: nytimes.com/2020/10/19/us/…
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